Earth Day 2014

The first Earth Day was observed in 1970, marking the first occasion when millions of Americans united to demonstrate their concern for the deteriorating state of the environment. More than forty years later, we join many others from all around the world in celebrating and advocating on behalf of the Earth. The importance of protecting the Earth and her increasingly scarce resources and fragile environment has become ever more apparent as we observe that the Earth’s climate has been warming and that the exploitation of the Earth for fossil fuels in the form of oil, coal, and natural gas has not waned. In its most recent report last year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) found that “the atmosphere and ocean have warmed, the amounts of snow and ice have diminished, sea level has risen, and the concentration of greenhouse

gases have increased.” Further, the IPCC concludes that the warming trend is unequivocal, reporting that “each of the last three decades have been successively warmer at the Earth’s surface than any preceding decade since 1850.” Now more than ever, citizens and policymakers need to act to make possible a sustainable future for generations to come.

In the face of the reality of rapid ecological crises and degradation, we believe that as people of faith we are called to tend to God’s good creation, seek justice for the vulnerable and oppressed among us, and be good stewards of the bounty and beauty of the Earth.

This year, the focus for Earth Day is on Green Cities, an effort to encourage lawmakers, businesses, and citizens to make sustainable investments in clean energy and advocate for public policies that promote energy efficiency and limit greenhouse gas emissions. The IPCC has concluded that efforts to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development and equity can be improved by limiting the effects of climate change. The Moderator’s Public Policy Team agrees and calls on our elected officials and concerned people of faith to advocate for policies and practices that help us create a healthier environment for a sustainable future for all.

On Earth Day, April 22, we can all do our part to act as good stewards and advocates for the environment, ensuring that later generations will be able to benefit from all the beauty and bounties of the Earth. You can reaffirm your commitment to protecting the environment by volunteering, letting your representatives know that you support sound environmental policies, or making a small lifestyle change to reduce any negative impact on the environment. If everyone chooses to do something small, together, we can create a better world for future generations.

To help you further reflect on God’s earth as gift, we are please to share the following resources: